Electric or Old School

I would think that most people that fillet there crappie are using electric knifes by now; but figure there is still a few of you out there that still like the feel of single blade. I'm using a $20 Mr. Twister that has served me well but it's starting to get pretty warm about 4 fish in so it's probably going to need replaced be for to long. On average I only clean 1/2 dozen or so at a time so I'm starting to wonder if there is any good reason to go back to a non-electric fillet knife, or should I just go ahead and buy a new electric knife and plan on replacing it every couple of seasons?

I've gone electric and can't see going back.. cheap black & decker carving knife (electric) works great. That being said, I still keep some fillets knives around, for trimming or for the times when a couple of fish ain't worth getting the electric out and cleaning double blades after use etc.. then it's nice to go back to the old school. I'm actually better with an electric then I ever was with a regular fillet knife... and quicker as well :-)

What Snubbys said. small fish get the hand drive and most everything else gets the electric and trimmed by hand.

American angler pro. My last one lasted me round 15 years. I bought 2 more recently. Nothing has their power. Like gliding through butter!

I bought 2 more recently.

After trying every other brand I could think of because the American Anglers were so expensive. Well I shoulda went first class the first time and it would have saved me alot of money.

Hey Lonnie, put some fresh grease in that knife before you junk it. I did this with my AA and it helped it last for four more years.

I limit my catches (or at least take home) to twenty no matter the fish . Bream always get the hand knife and crappie get the ele. variety.since I scale then fillet time is to long on huge numbers . Heck I have already put up (not counting those eaten fresh) 25 quart bags of 20-35 bream fillets and 5 bags of crappie .

I use a plain ole fashion Rapala filet knife. Just keep em sharp and carry on.

I'm with Huntinslabs. I stick with an old fashioned filet knife.

I use the regular rapala filet knife,I usually limit it to 10 to 15 max keepers per trip so it doesn't take too long to clean them.I feel comfortable using that knife as I've had it for quite a few years but I have kicked around the idea of trying the electric knife.I'm just worried I wouldn't like it and it would be a waste of money.

I still use a traditional fillet knife. I have not been satisfied with the quality though. So I have made my own in my own design. http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...psexukgo6y.jpg.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...psmzo7eg2v.jpg
Granted, knife making is a hobby of mine so it wasn't uncharted territory. One of the Arkansas members is going to help me out by doing some field testing on this one and I have a sketch for a 6 inch version for the next one.

I used a rapala for probably 30 years and was very good and pretty fast with it. I have been using the American angler electric for last ten years I think and will never go back, the electric was much easier for me.

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Originally Posted by eagle 1

I limit my catches (or at least take home) to twenty no matter the fish . Bream always get the hand knife and crappie get the ele. variety.since I scale then fillet time is to long on huge numbers . Heck I have already put up (not counting those eaten fresh) 25 quart bags of 20-35 bream fillets and 5 bags of crappie .

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sounds like you need to have a neighborhood fish fry or quit keeping any for awhile :twocents

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Originally Posted by LowePro

American angler pro. My last one lasted me round 15 years. I bought 2 more recently. Nothing has their power. Like gliding through butter!

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LP, where is the best place to get one of these at a reasonable price?

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Originally Posted by slackline

I still use a traditional fillet knife. I have not been satisfied with the quality though. So I have made my own in my own design. http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...psexukgo6y.jpg.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...psmzo7eg2v.jpg
Granted, knife making is a hobby of mine so it wasn't uncharted territory. One of the Arkansas members is going to help me out by doing some field testing on this one and I have a sketch for a 6 inch version for the next one.

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Mighty fine looking knife there. I been toying with the idea of making knives myself. I already have the steel supply, do concrete sawing and drilling and supposedly these big blades make a heck of a knife blade. Some old timer used to get them from us (scrap blades) all you could give him, said he never seen steel that would keep and edge as good as the steel used in these saw blades. So maybe one day I can see for myself.

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Originally Posted by ibmack

LP, where is the best place to get one of these at a reasonable price?

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As far as I have found amazon has them cheaper than anywhere. Sometimes able to get free shipping. I have 2 American angler pro which i love! They are gold handled. My first one ever was blue handled and it was also the bomb but an older design. The blue one will save ya some money and is just as good. They both have extreme power. The difference between the blue and gold one is the blue has plastic gears i believe, and the gold has metal gears.

American anglers are dang hard to find in stores and I dont know why? If I had a store I would want a quality product stocked in it so it would help build my stores reputation. At one time they were in alot of stores but then suddenly was not anymore. They got hard to find.

I believe I saw some on a shelf at hatchet jacks in North Little Rock as well.

Slackline.....that is an excellent looking filet knife brother!

I use the Bubba blades. Can filet faster than the electric knife any day. I have one for taking meat off fish and the second one for taking meat off hide and ribs out. The big bulky electric knives caused my hands to cramp. I keep them sharp using the work sharp knife sharpener.

I had used he electric knives for years but went back old school after watching the Bubba blade in action.

I agree with Arkansasbowhunter. The BubbaBlade is a heck of a knife and very sharp and easy to sharpen when needed. I use an AA electric also but if no power is available then the BubbaBlade is broke out or if cleaning catfish, I like to use the BB.

Beautiful knife slackline!!

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Originally Posted by LowePro

American anglers are dang hard to find in stores and I dont know why? If I had a store I would want a quality product stocked in it so it would help build my stores reputation. At one time they were in alot of stores but then suddenly was not anymore. They got hard to find.

I believe I saw some on a shelf at hatchet jacks in North Little Rock as well.

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There showing the gold handle one is available here:


American Angler Pro EFK with 8" Freshwater and Shark Blades - Walmart.com

Thanks for the complements guys. I just prefer to do many things manually or traditionally. I feel like I get more out of the whole experience of whatever it is. I have seen some guys that are very fast with a traditional fixed blade fillet knife. I am not that fast, I guess you have to fish more than I get to for that.

Been using Forschner Knives for years now. Won two salmon cleaning events with one. I also own a couple of Bubba blades and several old school rapala knives as well as some custom fillet knives. The Forschner out cleans all of them.

I've tried electric. I don't think they are as accurate or as fast as a good sharp hand fillet knife. Did 32 walleye start to finish (including de boning) in under 45 minutes the other day. That includes rinsing, washing, cleaning the table and having two beverages.

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Originally Posted by wicklundrh

Been using Forschner Knives for years now. Won two salmon cleaning events with one. I also own a couple of Bubba blades and several old school rapala knives as well as some custom fillet knives. The Forschner out cleans all of them.

I've tried electric. I don't think they are as accurate or as fast as a good sharp hand fillet knife. Did 32 walleye start to finish (including de boning) in under 45 minutes the other day. That includes rinsing, washing, cleaning the table and having two beverages.

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I'll have to google them up, don't think I have ever heard of Forschner Knives. That 32 in 45 sounds impressive; Bubba Knife has a video showing how quick they are you should do one with the Forschner and post.

It doesn't surprise me that the Forschner is a great knife. It's made by Victorinox, same company that makes some of the best Swiss Army Knives.

Video on Youtube of a guy in Stillwater, Ok using a Cabelas fillet knife. Pretty good I would say. Lot faster then I could ever do it. https://youtu.be/B8BvdvJFAug

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Originally Posted by huntinslabs

I use a plain ole fashion Rapala filet knife. Just keep em sharp and carry on.

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Same here. Just clean and sharpen it.

I watched people with an electric cleaning bluegills and redear the other day. Guy with the electric cut off the side but wife with a regular knife had to go back and get the skin/scales off and cut out the rib bones.

I just use the fillet knife and go around all that, flip the fillet onto the skin side and cut off the skin.

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Originally Posted by eagle 1

I limit my catches (or at least take home) to twenty no matter the fish . Bream always get the hand knife and crappie get the ele. variety.since I scale then fillet time is to long on huge numbers . Heck I have already put up (not counting those eaten fresh) 25 quart bags of 20-35 bream fillets and 5 bags of crappie .

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Just for the info. Why do you scale then fillet??

Thx
Brad

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Originally Posted by mildot1

Just for the info. Why do you scale then fillet??

Thx
Brad

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Likely that he prefers the meat with the skin on, but still without bones. The skin does add a hint of a sweet, nutty flavor to the fish IMHO.

I use manual cutting around ribs not through . Catfish will kill an electric knife and does a poor job. I can fillet any fish with a sharp fillet knife except a Gar . :crazy:

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Originally Posted by eagle 1

I limit my catches (or at least take home) to twenty no matter the fish . Bream always get the hand knife and crappie get the ele. variety.since I scale then fillet time is to long on huge numbers . Heck I have already put up (not counting those eaten fresh) 25 quart bags of 20-35 bream fillets and 5 bags of crappie .

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That can help on small fillets not drying out while frying :twocents

Regular rapala..I go around the rib cage

I've always been a traditional fillet knife guy but my wife on the advice of a good friend gave me an electric for Christmas. Can't recall the brand and really resisted using it but now I've gotten used to it and I love it especially when going through 20 or more fish. I clean a lot of fish and give them to my non fishing friends. Still use my old knife for trimming. Some people say "I wouldn't clean all them fish and give em away" but what the heck I'm retired.:dono

Another vote for American Angler electric.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by LowePro

As far as I have found amazon has them cheaper than anywhere. Sometimes able to get free shipping. I have 2 American angler pro which i love! They are gold handled. My first one ever was blue handled and it was also the bomb but an older design. The blue one will save ya some money and is just as good. They both have extreme power. The difference between the blue and gold one is the blue has plastic gears i believe, and the gold has metal gears.

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thanks LP, gonna order me one. don't catch enough fish like you to need two at a time though :highfive

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Originally Posted by slackline

It doesn't surprise me that the Forschner is a great knife. It's made by Victorinox, same company that makes some of the best Swiss Army Knives.

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Slackline,

The blade is very similar to the one you created (in curve and angle). That is what helps it stay sharp and glide through the ribs. It excels even further when you remove the meat from the skin. They make them in several different sizes (as well as straight blades). I've used the second to the largest for years now. Last time I was in Alaska, the guy I was with said I could have anything he owned... except his forschner knife!

I rarely clean a bunch of fish .....and I never use an electric ....but I imagine after cleaning zillions like this I am somewhat faster than average with a regular fillet knife ....

I'm electric all the way. When I was catfishing only I timed myself on 4lb fish and under and it was about 23-24 seconds per fish cutting behind the ribs and ready to bag. Crappie for me are a little harder, seems to be a more fragile fish and I cut in front of the ribs or I wouldn't have any fillet left. I use electric to slice the ribs out also. Less than a minute per fish. You do need a good set of blades, i realized that the other day after I wrecked a couple. Went and got the ones out of my 12volt knife and was back in business.

FWIW

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Originally Posted by swollencrappie

Video on Youtube of a guy in Stillwater, Ok using a Cabelas fillet knife. Pretty good I would say. Lot faster then I could ever do it. https://youtu.be/B8BvdvJFAug

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he is quick, but it doesn't take long to fillet 6-8" crappie:Rofl